New Paltz's Williams interim commish of SUNYAC

NEW PALTZ — Brian Williams has spent his adult athletic life with ties to the SUNY Athletic Conference. Now, for one year at least, he will run the show.

Ken McMillan

NEW PALTZ — Brian Williams has spent his adult athletic life with ties to the SUNY Athletic Conference. Now, for one year at least, he will run the show.

Starting Monday, Williams will direct the 10-member NCAA Division III conference as its interim commissioner, replacing the departing Azure Davey, who leaves after one year to take a job with the NCAA. Williams will be on unpaid leave as an assistant athletic director at SUNY New Paltz until May 31, 2014. Though he will work primarily out of his home, Williams also will utilize the conference offices in Cortland.

"I can't really say it (the job) was on my radar," Williams said. "When the commissioner resigned, it was kind of sudden for us. It sparked my interest."

Williams views the job as a caretaker's role, and a lot of emphasis will be on running the championships for the 11 women's sports and nine men's sports the conference sponsors.

"I look at it as continuing the work that Pat Damore did for 50 years and Azure Davey did for the past year, and continuing the conference's business for the next year," Williams said, "hopefully keeping us on track and moving us in the right direction."

Williams was hired by SUNY New Paltz as its swimming and diving coach in 1994, working with the men's team through 2003-04 and the women through 2007-08. He also spent the last 12 years as an associate athletic director. Williams was an accomplished swimmer at SUNY Cortland and spent one year as that school's assistant swim coach before coming to New Paltz.

"I love the SUNYAC," Williams said. "I am a conference product, as a student-athlete, an assistant coach, a coach and an administrator within the SUNYAC. It has been my athletic life. The opportunity to work with the athletic directors and staff and student athletes on such a large picture really excited me about that."

Williams' hiring "is a testament to Brian's skills as an administrator and his commitment to the student-athletic experience conference-wide," said New Paltz athletic director Stuart Robinson. "I am confident in his ability to serve the conference with utmost integrity and professionalism."